Filed: Sunday, 23rd November 2014By: Staff Writer

James Tomkins has been heavily criticised by supporters for pretending to have been struck in the face by an opponent during yesterday's 2-1 defeat at Everton.

According to a number of fans sharing their opinion, West Ham's Basildon-born centre half let himself badly when attempting to con referee Mark Clattenburg into believing he had been head-butted by Everton's Kevin Mirallas.

"An almighty bollocking is in order," ludo22 wrote on the KUMB Forum. "I don't care how many points we lose, I never want a West Ham player to fake injury. We start doing that we might as well rip up the Claret and blue."

Thoughts echoed by fellow KUMB member Harry Hound, who said: "I'm disgusted with Tomkins and have very mixed feelings about him now as I can't understand how he could pull such a stunt."

YWN continued the general theme of disappointment, adding: " I'm glad Tomkins' got a dressing down, his reaction was almost as bad as Chico. I don't want to see any West Ham player resort to that behaviour, even if they had been diving or if Clattenberg and his assistants had been poor. Bad darts."

And it wasn't only West Ham fans comparing the two incidents; Bradford City fan Will Spivey, writing on Twitter said: "Just seen Match of the Day. I assume West Ham fans will give James Tomkins the same level of abuse that they gave Flores last year..."

Tomkins himself had nothing to say about the incident in a piece published by the club this morning, although he did state that "it wasn't to be and it's a hard one to take."

* Everton's Ross Barkley has also been criticised for diving in the same game, after he went to ground to win a free kick despite no contact being made by Kevin Nolan, West Ham's nearest player.

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